Thanksgiving is just over a week away so if you’re hosting the holiday celebration, you need to plan your big trip to the grocery store. A major question around this time of year is, “When do you buy a turkey for Thanksgiving?”

That depends on whether or not you’re buying a fresh or frozen turkey. Most people buy frozen turkeys at the grocery store and not shockingly, they don’t expire for quite a while (you’d be fine if you kept a turkey frozen in your freezer for a year).

Defrosting a frozen turkey takes time.

You should allow 24 hours of defrosting time per 4 or 5 pounds of turkey in the refrigerator. You can let the defrosting turkey sit idle for another 48 hours if you wish.

Some people also put their frozen turkey in cool water to defrost. It typically takes a half hour per pound if you go this route.

Fresh turkey

If you buy a raw turkey from a local farmer you can store the bird in your refrigerator, but not for long. It is recommended that you keep the raw turkey in your fridge for no more than 48 hours.